System and method for tree creation

Abstract

Tree creation systems and methods are disclosed. An example of a method includes building a system tree in computer-readable medium, the system tree having a plurality of nodes, each node in the system tree representing a desired range of characteristics of a component of a system under consideration. The method also includes identifying probable nodes in other trees that satisfy the desired range of characteristics of the component of the system under consideration. The method also includes creating in computer-readable medium at least one new tree for the system under consideration by replacing at least one of the nodes in the system tree with at least one of the probable nodes from the other trees.

1 . A tree creation method, the method carried out by program code stored on non-transient computer-readable medium and executed by a processor, the method comprising:
 building a system tree in computer-readable medium, the system tree having a plurality of nodes, each node in the system tree representing a desired range of characteristics of a component of a system under consideration;   identifying probable nodes in other trees that satisfy the desired range of characteristics of the component of the system under consideration; and   creating in computer-readable medium at least one new tree for the system under consideration by replacing at least one of the nodes in the system tree with at least one of the probable nodes from the other trees.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising outputting overall impact of the at least one new tree. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising outputting alternative new trees for the system under consideration. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising weighting different parameters and then ranking the alternative new trees based on the weighting for overall impact. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein probable nodes for the at least one new tree are drawn from a plurality of the other trees. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired range of characteristics are based on a weighted impact for the at least one new tree. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising clustering probable nodes in terms of known functional categories. 
     
     
         8 . A tree creation system, comprising:
 a computer readable storage to store at least one system tree having a plurality of nodes, each of the plurality of nodes in the system tree representing a desired range of characteristics of a component of a system under consideration; and   an analysis engine operatively associated with the computer readable storage to identify probable nodes in other trees that satisfy the desired range of characteristics of the component of the system under consideration.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a tree creation module called by the analysis engine, the tree creation module creating at least one new tree for the system under consideration by replacing at least one of the nodes in the system tree with at least one of the probable nodes from the other trees. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising the tree creation module outputting overall impact of the at least one new tree. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising the tree creation module outputting alternative new trees for the system under consideration. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising the tree creation module ranking alternative new trees for overall impact. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein probable nodes for the at least one new tree are drawn from a plurality of the other trees. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the desired range of characteristics are based on a target impact for the at least one new tree. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising the tree creation module clustering probable nodes in terms of known functional categories. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising the tree creation module automatically assigning the desired range of characteristics. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising the tree creation module extracting common tree hierarchies from a known product database. 
     
     
         18 . A tree creation system, comprising:
 an analysis engine operatively associated with a computer readable storage to compare nodes of at least one system tree for a system under consideration with nodes in other trees, each of the plurality of nodes in the system tree representing a desired range of characteristics of a component of the system under consideration;   the analysis engine identifying probable nodes in other trees that satisfy the desired range of characteristics of the component of the system under consideration; and   a tree creation module called by the analysis engine, the tree creation module creating at least one new tree for the system under consideration by replacing at least one of the nodes in the system tree with at least one of the probable nodes from the other trees.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the tree creation module outputs alternative new trees for the system under consideration. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the tree creation module ranks the alternative new trees for overall environmental impact.